The first Russian charter flight carrying tourists to Turkey since a diplomatic crisis erupted eight months ago has landed in the Turkish resort of Antalya.

The Rossiya Airlines plane touched down at Antalya's international airport early on July 9 after President Vladimir Putin last month officially lifted restrictions on tourism to Turkey.

Russia had banned the sale of agency tours to Turkey as retaliation for Ankara's shooting-down of a Russian war plane in November on the Syrian border.

Putin on June 30 gave the green light for the flights to resume after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent a letter to the Russian leader that Moscow said contained an apology for the downing of the jet.